1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to holders for nuts and bolts, and, more particularly, to a flexible, throw-away holding means for holding bolts, nuts, and extensions in sockets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Socket wrenches and sockets are widely used in homes and in industry. Additionally, when using sockets to insert nuts and bolts in hard to reach places various size and length extensions for must be used. However, because of wear and other factors, many nuts and bolts, as well as the driving end of the extensions used with the sockets, are loosely held therein, and such nuts or bolts may fall out of the sockets, or be incorrectly started, causing delays and other problems. Therefore, various adapters and holders have been devised to hold nuts and bolts in position in sockets.
One type of nut and bolt holder for sockets is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,675 to Martinez et al., which discloses legs, beams, cams and resilient means for holding a nut or bolt in a socket. However, the holding means disclosed in this patent are complicated, expensive to manufacture, and are limited for use in the specific socket to which the specific holding means has been secured.
Other known means for holding nuts and bolts in sockets include magnets placed in the sockets to hold a nut or bolt therein, or adapters or inserts placed in specific sockets to adapt such sockets to a specific size, or to protect the finish of a bolt or nut being driven by the socket. Examples of such devices are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,916,736 to Clemmens, 4,836,067 to Rogers et al., and 4,979,355 to Ulevich.
Other means, such as shims or tightening means, are known for use in adjusting the spacing between items. Examples of such shims, etc. are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,421 to Justice, 4,880,344 to Henry et al., 5,116,242 to Scotti, 5,311,060 to Rostoker, 5,452,904 to Huber et al., and Design 327,960 to Uke.
While the foregoing described prior art holding means for sockets, as well as shims and tightening means for other items, have provided limited improvements, and overcome some of the problems connected with the need for holding nuts and bolts together, or for adjusting the space between items, they usually have very limited application, tend to be complicated and expensive to manufacture, and are designed for permanent use with specific sockets, or the like. Therefore, after many attempts to solve the problem of devising holding means for use with sockets to hold nuts and bolts in position, and to insure accurate placement thereof, there still exists the need in the art for a simple, easy to use and manufacture, low cost, disposable holding means for use with sockets.